Gabriella Ybarra

San Antonio

Courthouse Reporter at The San Antonio Express-News

Covering the Bexar County Courthouse for @ExpressNews. Proud @TXST & @UTAustin alum. Phoebe Bridgers stan.

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Articles

Teen sentenced to prison for death of 16-year-old Kaitlin Hernandez

3 days ago | expressnews.com | Gabriella Ybarra

A teen was sentenced to prison for the death of Kaitlin Hernandez, a 17-year-old who was found dead in a drainage ditch on the Northeast Side last year. Darryl Barrera Jr., 16, was sentenced to 35 years in prison by Judge William Shaw of the 436th Juvenile Court on Friday. Police said Hernandez went for a walk with Barrera in her neighborhood on March 12, 2024, and never returned. She was later found in the 7600 block of Dell Oak in a drainage ditch just a few blocks away from her home.
'We're planning for the worst'

6 days ago | expressnews.com | Nancy Johnson |Gabriella Ybarra

The San Antonio Police Department's chief says officers are preparing for the worst during protests, but hoping for peace. "We are prepared for a peaceful demonstration, but we are also prepared if something goes south and it turns violent," SAPD Chief William McManus said during a news conference Wednesday morning. San Antonio leaders met to share their public safety strategy as Texas National Guard troops deploy and immigration protests escalate.
Bexar County judge Ron Rangel considers campaign run for district attorney

6 days ago | expressnews.com | Gabriella Ybarra

State District Judge Ron Rangel is considering a run for Bexar County district attorney following Joe Gonzales' exit. Rangel, who presides over Texas' 379th District Court, is creating an exploratory committee for a potential campaign run, according to a news release. The committee will raise funds and gauge Rangel's viability as a candidate, according to the release. It will begin accepting donations next month.
Judge sets deadline for police to complete investigations into Brad Simpson

1 week ago | expressnews.com | Gabriella Ybarra

A local judge has set a deadline for law enforcement agencies to present all available evidence in the Brad Simpson case to prosecutors. In a status conference on Monday, state District Judge Joel Perez of the 437th District Court said the Olmos Park Police Department and Texas Rangers must complete their investigations and provide all evidence to prosecutors by Aug 1.
DA will not seek death penalty for man accused of killing pregnant mother

1 week ago | expressnews.com | Gabriella Ybarra

A man accused of killing a pregnant woman in front of her two young children at a San Antonio motel will not face the death penalty, the Bexar County District Attorney's Office said. Dillon Meckel, 39, is accused of killing 37-year-old Lauraalicia D. Placker on June 19, 2021, at a Motel 6 in the 7500 block of Louis Pasteur Drive, which is the Medical Center area.
Bexar County DA weighs hate crime charge in actor Jonathan Joss' death

1 week ago | expressnews.com | Gabriella Ybarra

As the investigation into the shooting death of San Antonio actor Jonathan Joss unfolds, Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales has signaled he is prepared to pursue hate crime charges - if the evidence supports it. He - and others - are also working to clarify what investigating and prosecuting a hate crime entails. He is asking the public for patience.
District Attorney Joe Gonzales will not seek reelection

1 week ago | expressnews.com | Gabriella Ybarra |Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson

Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales will not seek reelection in 2026. Calling it a "privilege of a lifetime to serve," he said he wants to focus on his family. Gonzales, a Democrat, announced his plan to leave office at the end of his second term at a 4:15 p.m. news conference at the Bexar County Courthouse. Article continues below this ad"This job demands the best that I can give it, but it also demands extraordinary patience from my family," Gonzales said.
Judge sides with city, SAPD, recommends dismissal of Melissa Perez lawsuit

2 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Gabriella Ybarra

A federal magistrate judge has recommended the dismissal of a civil lawsuit filed against the city of San Antonio and two police officers over the 2023 fatal shooting of Melissa Perez, a 46-year-old woman who was experiencing a mental health crisis. "The undersigned cannot second-guess the Officer Defendants' assessment that Perez posed a threat of serious harm to Sergeant Flores and Officer Villalobos as she charged forward with the hammer," Bemporad wrote.
Ashley Pardo, accused of helping son's plan for school shooting, in court

2 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Gabriella Ybarra |Nancy Johnson

A San Antonio mother accused of helping her son plan a school shooting appeared in court Thursday for the first time since her arrest, telling the judge she couldn't pay her bills and was too afraid to ask anyone for help. Ashley Pardo, 33, asked a judge to modify the conditions of her bond so that she could return to work - despite prosecutors arguing she remains a danger to the public. Pardo was arrested on May 13 and charged with aiding in the commission of terrorism.
Teen sentenced for car wash killing, shooting 90-year-old

2 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Gabriella Ybarra

An 18-year-old has been sentenced to prison for fatally shooting a man he attempted to rob at a South Side car wash. The judge also sentenced him for shooting a 90-year-old man on the same day in a separate incident. Nickolas Allen Medrano was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Thursday by state District Judge Christine Del Prado for the murder of 54-year-old Vicente Zurita on May 27, 2023.